Amusement apparatus



Jan. 1,1924 1,479,753

W. J. STAFFORD AMUSISHVIEN'J Z APPARATUS Filed Nov. '7. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORNEY WlTNESS:

W. J. STAFFORD AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed Nov. '2. 1921 2 Sheets-Shea. 2

ATTORNEY wri'usss:

Patented Jan. 1, 1924.

were STATES WILLIAM J. STAFFORD, OF NEW YORK, N.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

Application filed November 7, 1921. Serial No. 513,393.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known. that I, VILLIAM J. STAFFORD, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Amusement Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to amusement and game apparatuses.

Some of the objects of the present invention are: to employ a plurality of objects or figures, such as horses and riders, or animals, or the like, to be moved in a novel manner along a course to simulate a race;

to impart comparatively different motions to a plurality of objects simulating a race along an irregular course; to impart steady movement and a shuffling movement to a plurality of objects simulating a race along a course having relatively straight sections and curved sections. With these. and other objects in view the invention resides in the particular provision, construction, operation and the relative disposition of parts hereinafter fully described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus with the guiding means removed.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevation.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 44, Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 55, Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a sectional elevation of one of the objects and its supporting means.

Referring now more particularly to the several views of the drawings, it will be apparent that, the apparatus of the present invention will include a supporting structure 10 which embodies a race course 11 which comprises differently constructed sections 12, 13, 14 and 15. The sections 12 and 14 each comprise radially disposed rollers 16 which are mounted for rotation in suitable bearings 17 carried by the structure 10. The rollers are arranged in series of which the rollers of one series are larger in diameter than the rollers of the other series-the arrangement being such that the sections 12 and 14 will consist of alternate large and small rollers. In the section 14 several of the rollers have been omitted to provide a starting point and a finishing point for the andthe ends of the said boards 18, there being two springs 19 at each end of each board 18 which operate alternately to cush- 1on the action of the boards.

In order to effect the rotation of the rol ers 16, the shaft 20 of each roller has attached thereto a duplex'pulley 21, and by virtue of belts 22, shaft 23, pulleys 24, belt 25, and motor 26, motion is transmitted to the pulleys 21 and rollers 16.

In order to effect thereciprocation of the boards 18, each board is provided with rollers 27. A driven shaft 28 is mounted for rotation in suitable bearings 29; the said shaft being driven from the motor 26 through the intervention of pulleys 30 and 31, and belt 32. A disk crank 33 is attached to the shaft 28 at or near each end thereof, and each disk crank has a crank pin 34. A lever 35 has slotted connection with each pin 34, and has pin-and-slot connection with a cross-head 36, as at 37. Each of the levers 35 is pivotally mounted as at 38. Each cross-head moves between guides 39 attached to the structure 10 adjacent its related board 18 and members 40 connect the board 18 with the cross-head 36 through the intervention of cables or the like 41. It should now be manifest that upon rotation of the disk cranks 33, the levers 35 will be caused to oscillate, causing the crossheads to reciprocate, and as a consequence by virtue of the members 40 and cables 41, the boards 18 will be caused to reciprocate.

Objects 42 are employed, and as shown in Figure 6, each object consists of a horse and rider, which is yieldingly mounted on a post 4-3 by the use of a spring 44; the said post being carried by a hollow member 45 which is in the nature of a supporting means for the object and which contacts the rollers 16 and the shuffle boards 18 for the forward direction. Movement of the objects 42 is effected by reason of the fact that the axes of the disk cranks 33 are not exactly below their respective pins 37 and 39. in vertical alignment, which arrangement, when the disk cranks are rotated ,causes the shuflie boards 18 to reciprocate with a quickened movement in one direction as compared with the speed of movement of the shuttle boards in the opposite direction. in other words, each shufiie board 18 moves slightly quicker in a direction opposite to the direction in which each object is advanced so as to circumvent backward movement of each object d2 equal to the forward movement thereof. It will now be manifest that oh j ects 42 are advanced separately step by step when they reach the shuttle boards 18 to which they are presented and from which they are received by the several groups of rollers 16.

In order to guide the objects as they are moved alongthe course 11 over the rollers 16 and theboards 18, suitable guide means 46 is employed. -The means 46 comprises guide members 47 arranged in spaced relation with respect to each. other and with respect to the rollers and the boards 18. The members e7 in being spaced with relation with each other provide spaces orways 48 which accommodate. the posts respectively of the objects 42 and in that way. the objects are compelled to move individually through a prescribed path.

Any desired number of objects may be employed to constitute a field of racers. The objects are positioned at the starting point after which the motor 26 is set in motion causing the rollers 16 to rotate in the same direction, and the boards 18 to reciprocate. The objects 42 are compelled to rock as they move over the rollers and when they encounter either of the boards 18, the objects are shuffled along their paths until one reaches the finishing point as the winner. Inasmuch as the objects 41-2 are. yieldingly mounted, they are'capable of galloping action, and such simulation tends to realism. The liquid within the hollow members 45, is mercury, but any other satisfactory liquid may used. The mercury is put into each of the hollow members 45 through a filling opening 49 which is closed by a cap 50. The employment of the mercury in conjunction with. the action of the reciprocating boards 18 makes. possible the shuttling of the objects.

While there has been shown the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that, changes and modifications within the scope of the appended claims may be resorted to whenever it is deemed desirable.

l Vhat is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising a supporting structure embodying a race-way, shuffling boards and rollers carried by said supporting structure, mechanism for reciprocating said boards and for rotating said rollers, and in combination, freely movable objects and supporting means for said objects adapting the objects to travel along said race-way by virtue of the contact of said supporting means with the shuffling boards and the rollers. V

2. An apparatus comprising a supporting structure embodying a race-Way comprising different sections, a shufiie board constituting one of said sections, and rollers constituting a plurality of said sections, mechanism for effecting the reciprocation of said shuttle board and for rotating said rollers, and in combination, freely movable objects and supporting means for said 013- jects adapting them to travel over said shuflle board and rollers when the supporting means of said objects come into contact therewith.

3. An apparatus comprising a supporting. structure embodying a race-way comprising different sections, shuttle boards constituting certain of said sections, rollers constituting certain other sections, the shuffle boards being arranged between the sections of rollers, mechanism for effecting the reciprocation of said shull'le boards and for rotating said rollers, and in combination freely movable objects and supporting means forsaid objects adapting them to travel over said Shu'l'l'le boards and rollers when the supporting means respectively of each object comes into contact with said boards and said rollers. e

4:. An apparatus as characterized compris ing a supporting structure embodying a race-way comprising different sections, horizontally disposed shuffle boards constituting certain of said sections, rollers constituting certain other of said sections, the shufiie boards and rollers having an alteri'iate relation, mechanism for effecting the reciprocation of said shuffl'e boards and for effecting the rotation of said rollers, and in combination, freely movable objects and supporting means for each of said objects adapting each of said objects to travel over said shuffle boards and said rollers in motion.

5. An apparatus as characterized comprising a supporting structure en'ibodying an irregular race-way comprising different sections, shuffle boards constituting certain of said sections, rollers constituting certain. other 'f said sections, the said rollers being radially disposed, mechanism for effecting the reciprocation of said shuffie boards and for effecting the. rotation of said. rollers, and in combination, freely movable objects and supporting means for each of said objects adapting'each of said objects to travel over said shufiie boards and said rollers while they are in motion.

6. An apparatus as characterized comprising a supporting structure embodying an irregular raceway comprising different sections, horizontally disposed shuffle boards constituting certain of said sections, radially disposed rollers constituting certain other of said sections, mechanism for effecting the reciprocation of said shufiie boards and for rotating said rollers, and in combination, freely movable objects and supporting means for each of said objects adapting each of said objects to travel over said boards and said rollers while they are in motion.

7. An apparatus as characterized comprising a supporting structure embodying a race-way comprising different sections, shuflle boards constituting certain of said sections, rollers arranged in series constituting certain other of said sections, the rollers of one of said series being larger in di ameter than the diameter of the rollers of the other series, mechanism for effecting the reciprocation of said shuffle boards and for effecting the rotation of said rollers, and in combination, freely movable objects and supporting means for each of said objects adapting each of said objects to travel over said shuffle boards and said rollers While the latter are in motion.

8. An apparatus as characterized comprising a supporting structure embodying a race-way comprising different sections, shuflie boards constituting certain of said sections, rollers constituting certain other of said sections, mechanically operable mechanism for effecting the reciprocation of said shuffle boards and for effecting the rotation of said rollers, and in combination, freely movable objects, supporting means for each of said objects adapting each of said objects to travel over said shuflle boards and said rollers while the latter are in motion, and means for guiding said objects in their travel.

9. An apparatus as characterized comprising a supporting structure embodying a race-way comprising different sections, shuffle boards having rollers thereunder constituting certain of said sections, rollers constituting certain other of said sections, mechanism for effecting the reciprocation of said shuffle boards and for effecting the rotation of said last rollers, and in combination, freely movable objects which move in prescribed paths, and supporting means for each of said objects adapting each of said objects to travel over said shuffle boards and said last rollers while the boards and said last rollers are in motion.

10. An apparatus as characterized comprising a supporting structure embodying a race-way comprising different sections,

said boards and said lastrollers while the said boards and said last rollers are in motion, and means for guiding said objects in their travel.

11. An apparatus as characterized comprising a supporting structure embodying a 7 race-way comprising different sections, spring actuated shuffle boards each having rollers thereunder constituting certain of said sections, rollers constituting certain other of said sections, mechanism for effecting the reciprocation of said shuffle boards and for effecting the rotation of said last rollers, and in combination, freely movable yieldingly mounted objects, supporting means for each of said objects adapting each of said objects to travel over said shufiie boards and over said last rollers while the said boards and said last rollers are in motion, and means for guiding said objects in their travel.

12. An apparatus as characterized comprising a supporting structure embodying a race-vvay comprising different sections,

shuffle boards horizontally disposed and supported on rollers for movement, said boards constituting certain of said sections, radially disposed rollers of different diameters constituting certain other of said sections, mechanism for effecting the reciprocation of said shuffle boards and for effecting the rotation of said last rollers, and in combination, freely movable objects, supportin means for each of said objects adapting eacfi of said objects to travel over said shuffle boards and over said last rollers While the said boards and said last rollers are in motion, the said supporting means including a hollow member having a liquid therein, a post carried by said member and on which its object is yieldingly mounted.

13. An apparatus as characterized comprising a supporting structure embodying a race-way comprising different sections, freely movable objects, shuffling-means constituting certain of said sections for moving said objects, roller-means constituting certain of said sections for moving said objects, means for actuating the shufliing-means and the roller-means, and means for guiding the objects in the movements.

In testimony whereof I hereby aflix my signature. 

